Why Not Forever
by SniperCT
Summary: In a followup to Always You, Rachel takes Kitty out for their six-month anniversary on Valentine's Day. Naturally, not all goes according to plan.


Rachel had never fashioned herself a cheap date. Or an expensive one, really. With Kitty, more often than not just hanging out tended to feel like a date. Rachel kind of liked it that way. Kitty was her best friend, and more.

In the six months they'd been dating, they'd only actually gone out specifically as a date a few times. The first two had gone pretty well but the third had ended in a sprained ankle and an embarrassing story to tell at parties. They hadn't tried anything fancy since, but with their six-month anniversary coming up Rachel decided she wanted to surprise Kitty. Conveniently, it was also Valentine's Day. A double bonus and impossible to resist.

Since Rachel was being mum, all that Kitty really knew was that she was supposed to dress up. That was always a little nerve-wracking for her to think about, but also a little fun. Tonight though, when she looked at herself in the mirror she felt leagues better. She wanted to make Rachel a little speechless. When she made Rachel speechless or spark a certain heated look in her eyes it made Kitty's month.

The effort had been worth it, even if Rachel had blindfolded her half-way to the city. "Is the blindfold really necessary?"

"Yes." Rachel guided Kitty into an elevator, distracting her with a light shoulder rub so she wouldn't count the floors. The doors dinged, and she pulled Kitty into the restaurant. She didn't pull the blindfold off until they were being seated. She had a huge grin on her face. "We've got a great view of the river, Times Square, and Empire State."

"Wow…" Kitty glanced at Rachel, then took in the view. "This is beautiful…I've never been to the Skylark before." Or any rooftop restaurant in New York, for that matter. This time of night everything was lit up and the city was reflected in the water. It was a romantic sight and Kitty reached across the table to take Rachel's hand.

Rachel squeezed her hand. "After we eat we can go out onto the roof for a drink."

"Just one, one of us has to drive."

Rachel's grin widened. "No we don't, I got us a room in town too."

"You've got this all planned out, don't you." It was kind of exciting. A night out with Rachel and then return to a hotel room. Anniversary or Valentine's, it didn't really matter to Kitty. Not as long as she got to spend the evening with Rachel. No students, no fires on street corners or super villains. Just the two of them. Alone.

"I don't have to be a telepath to tell what you're thinking." Rachel leaned her chin on her hand, smiling at Kitty's blush.

"Shut up." Kitty flagged down the server, needing a drink if Rachel was going to say things like that. "And if you want to read my mind right now, you can."

Rachel did. And promptly turned beat red too. "I deserved that and I'm not even mad."

"Benefits of dating a telepath." She grinned, remembering one very interesting time during a particularly boring lecture, then settled in to look at the menu.

Rachel watched Kitty. She didn't know how it was possible, but she'd gotten even prettier the more time they'd been together. Kitty was beautiful, and Rachel smiled like a love-addled teenager.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just like watching you." Emotions were a hell of a drug and Ray was really very okay with that. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy Valentine's Day you dork." This was a side of Rachel that Kitty growing to really love. A playful, silly side that she took great pains to coax out of her every chance she got. Rachel's life had been so hard, and she deserved a chance to be a normal person. They both did. While sometimes Kitty wondered at the wisdom of coming back to the school, she didn't regret it at all.

"Usually that word is reserved for you, Kate. The resident dork of the X-men."

"Dork is a title that can be passed around."

"You're still the Queen dork."

Kitty laughed, her eyes lighting up with a familiar spark. "I'd rather be a swashbuckling princess dork."

Rachel pretended to think that one over. Kitty had used to make up a lot of stories about versions of their friends in fairy tales. She'd been very fond of the princess main character. "Can a princess also buckle swashes?"

"Of course she can."

"Sword fight in a dress?"

"If you can't fight in a dress you have no business fighting at all," Kitty replied sternly.

"Considering some of the costumes I've worn, you might have a point."

"The feminist in me thinks that battle skirt of yours was all wrong, but at the same time it did amazing things for your legs and your butt so I'm very conflicted."

"Kitty!" Rachel choked on her drink and Kitty laughed uproariously.

"Am I wrong about your legs?"

"Keep that up and you won't get your special surprise tonight."

There was a suggestive tone to Rachel's voice, and Kitty leaned forward, biting her lip. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, something special." Color tinged Rachel's cheeks. For someone who'd worn a short skirt and halter top into combat, the idea of wearing lingerie for Kitty was still somehow nerve wracking. But she wasn't going to share just yet. She wanted Kitty to squirm. That was part of the fun, wasn't it?

Kitty leveled a heated stare at Rachel. She knew what game her girlfriend was playing and on the one hand she didn't want to play but on the other she _really wanted to play_. "Where's the fun in just playing along?"

Before Rachel could answer, the whole building shook. Kitty looked towards the window. Smoke was billowing in the distance. "What now?"

"I don't know." Rachel could see flashes of light, like weapons were being discharged. She reached out with her powers. "People are scared. Some guy with a lightning gun."

"Anyone responding?" Kitty quickly downed her drink.

"Not yet." Rachel narrowed her eyes as it dawned on her what Kitty was suggesting. "Kate it's our six month anniversary. We've done enough heroics the past two weeks to meet our quota for the month."

"Who says the Avengers get to have all the fun?" Honestly, beating up some bad guy on their anniversary was somehow incredibly appropriate as far as Kitty was concerned. "Besides, the one sure fire way to get me in the mood is danger and excitement."

Rachel sighed. Glad that they hadn't ordered their meals yet, she put money down for the drinks and a tip, then got up. "You're lucky I'm in the mood for a little mayhem. But if I ruin this dress I'm blaming you."

"We'll kick this guy's butt, and then I'll drag you to that hotel and have my way with you. How's that for a plan?"

"...that's a good plan."

"The best plan." Kitty took Rachel's arm as they hurried outside. She could feel the first licks of Rachel's powers before they shot into the sky. She wasn't afraid, Rachel would never drop her. Besides, adrenaline and danger were Kitty's favorite drugs.

They kissed at the apex of their ascent, before Rachel shot like a fiery rocket towards the ground. Kitty phased, letting the momentum carry her through the pavement.

Fire flared around Rachel, strands of her hair ending in flame and the hemline of her dress billowing around her thighs. The lightning guy was taller than her in her heels, and he turned towards her.

"What the hell is this?" His voice echoed from some kind of amplification within his helmet, and Rachel rolled her eyes. They always tried to sound big and tough.

"You know, I know some people who can mess with lightning without being a cheap knock off." Kitty popped out of the ground behind him. He barely had the chance to react before her foot connected with his kidney. He stumbled forward, crying out in pain.

Rachel charged forward, throwing a telekinetic punch that knocked the man back towards Kitty, who slammed her elbow into the back of his head. Stumbling forward, he fell to his knees, the helmet falling off his head in two pieces.

"What kind of cheap crap…" Kitty picked up the helmet to inspect it while Rachel put her foot on the man's back and shoved him into the pavement. Kitty stared at her a moment, then tossed the pieces aside. "I love it when you do that."

"I'm a little disappointed," Rachel nudged the man with her foot.

"What were you hoping for? An epic battle of good and evil, a holding action while waiting for a hobbit to toss a ring into a volcano?"

Rachel's eyes rolled again, and she stepped off the man, slipping her arm around Kitty. "Close enough."

"For our next anniversary, I promise you we'll have that epic battle." Kitty leaned up and kissed Rachel's cheek. It felt like her skin was buzzing and she wanted to get to the hotel room Rachel had promised. She leaned in when Rachel's arms went around her.

"I'll hold you to that." They floated up off the ground, Rachel holding Kitty more tightly than strictly necessary. For her protection, of course. "We still need to eat something."

At the wicked grin on Kitty's face, Rachel hurriedly added. " _Food_. We'll order room service. We don't even need to go back to the car, I already had our bags delivered. So we can go right now."

"Not yet…" High above the city, as the sun sank below the horizon and the lights of New York flickered into being, Kitty stared into Rachel's eyes and then pulled her face in to kiss her tenderly. There was nothing else in the world but the two of them, the city forgotten far below. "Now we can go."

"Not yet," Rachel countered, lips pressing back into Kitty's almost needily. _Just a little bit longer._

Kitty laughed into the kiss, leg wrapping around the back of Rachel's. _We don't have forever._

 _Why not forever?_

Nothing Kitty could think of worked as a response. She deepened the kiss, answering need with hunger. Why _not_ forever.


End file.
